NEST 529 Launches ‘25 Days of Giveaways’

NEST 529 Education Savings is celebrating 25 years of helping families prepare for future education expenses. To mark the milestone, a “25 Days of Giveaways” sweepstakes has been launched – and beginning June 15, one winner will be selected daily from a pool of eligible entries.

“Reaching 25 years is an incredible milestone, and it’s all thanks to the families who have made education a priority,” said Rachel Biar, Nebraska State Deputy Treasurer of Savings Programs. “The ‘25 Days of Giveaways’ is a way to celebrate them and say thank you, while also encouraging more families to take that first step toward saving for education.”

Since its inception in 2001, NEST 529 has offered a simple and flexible way to save for tuition, books, and other education-related expenses. The Plan also provides tax advantages^1,2 and a range of investment options to fit different goals. Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans now have more than 306,000 accounts nationwide with total assets exceeding $8 billion as of April 2026 – and more than 109,000 NEST 529 accounts are owned by Nebraska residents.

To celebrate, NEST 529 is sponsoring the “25 Days of Giveaways” sweepstakes. Each day, a new prize will be featured on NEST 529’s social media channels, and beginning June 15, one winner will be selected daily from a pool of eligible entries. Prizes include:

• An Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo membership;
• Husker football tickets;
• Gift cards; and
• Contributions to a NEST 529 account.

Participants can enter by completing an entry form during the entry period. All eligible entries will be included in daily drawings, giving participants multiple chances to win throughout the 25 days.

The “25 Days of Giveaways” aims to both honor account holders and encourage new families to explore the benefits of saving early for education. With many families still unaware of college savings options, NEST 529 continues to focus on education, accessibility, and building confidence around planning for the future.

Families can learn more about the “25 Days of Giveaways” sweepstakes and enter for a chance to win at: NEST529.com/25Days or NEST529advisor.com/25Days.

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. Enter the Sweepstakes by completing an entry webform available at NEST529.com/25Days  or NEST529advisor.com/25Days, or by submitting a written 3x5 card with entry information in a stamped #10 envelope to: (NEST 529 College Savings Plan, P.O. Box 83529, Lincoln, NE 68501), during the sweepstakes period (May 29, 2026 – June 29, 2026). The drawing period begins June 15 and late-arriving entries may not be eligible for all prizes. You must complete all required fields on the entry form. You must be 19 years of age or older and be a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, excluding residents of Florida, New York, Rhode Island, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory. You may submit one entry per intended beneficiary per sweepstakes period. Up to 25 prize winners will be selected. You need not be present to win. The prize winner will receive a prize identified in the official rules. Total prize value is approximately $4,165. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Official rules are available at NEST529.com/25Days or NEST529advisor.com/25Days. The sponsor of this sweepstakes is the NEST Direct College Savings Plan and the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan.

Visit NEST529.com to learn more about the benefits of a NEST 529 Education Savings Plan.

About NEST 529 Plans

A NEST 529 Plan is a tax-advantaged savings account for higher education expenses. Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1 Account owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 Plan contributions or $5,000 if married filing separately.2

NEST 529 College Savings Plans can be used for everything from four-year universities to two-year technical schools. Opening a NEST 529 Plan account doesn’t require a minimum deposit to get started, and contributions can be managed online. NEST 529 Plans give families the ability to start investing in their loved ones’ future, so they can soar to their goals and become who they want to be as adults.

The State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 Plan, are vetted and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

About the State Treasurer’s Office: The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the state’s chief financial officer and is responsible for the safekeeping and management of Nebraska’s public funds. The office administers the Nebraska Educational Savings Trust (NEST 529) and the Enable Savings Plan; manages and returns unclaimed property; collects and disburses child support payments; and promotes transparency in state spending. Learn more at treasurer.nebraska.gov, or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.

About NEST 529: NEST 529 is a tax-advantaged 529 education savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan, and State Farm 529 Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as Program Trustee. Union Bank and Trust Company serves as Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans, which have more than 300,000 accounts. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.

About Union Bank and Trust Company: Founded in 1917 with over 50 years of family ownership, Union Bank and Trust Company offers complete banking, lending, investment, and trust services. The bank has 38 full-service and loan production offices in Nebraska and Kansas. It is the third largest privately owned bank in Nebraska, with bank assets of $9.0 billion and trust assets of $45.5 billion as of December 31, 2025. Voters have chosen Union Bank and Trust Company as Best Bank, Best Work Environment, and Best Financial Planner in Lincoln for fourteen years running.

Important Legal Information: An investor should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities before investing. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses and the NEST Direct College Savings Plan Program Disclosure Statement (issuer’s official statement), which can be obtained at NEST529.com and should be read carefully before investing. You can lose money by investing in an Investment Option. Each of the Investment Options involves investment risks, which are described in the Program Disclosure Statement. An investor should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in such state’s 529 plan. Investors should consult their tax advisor, attorney, and/or other advisor regarding their specific legal, investment, or tax situation.

The NEST Direct College Savings Plan (the “Plan”) is sponsored by the State of Nebraska, administered by the Nebraska State Treasurer, and the Nebraska Investment Council provides investment oversight. Union Bank and Trust Company serves as Program Manager for the Plan. Union Bank and Trust Company is registered as a municipal advisor with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB). The Plan offers a series of Investment Options within the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust (the “Trust”), which offers other Investment Options not affiliated with the Plan. The Plan is intended to operate as a qualified tuition program.

Except for any investments made by a Plan participant in the Bank Savings Underlying Investment up to the limit provided by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance, neither the principal contributed to an account, nor earnings thereon, are guaranteed or insured by the State of Nebraska, the Nebraska State Treasurer, the Nebraska Investment Council,  the Trust, the Plan, any other state, any agency or instrumentality thereof, Union Bank and Trust Company, the FDIC, or any other entity. Investment returns are not guaranteed. Account owners in the Plan assume all investment risk, including the potential loss of principal.

1 Withdrawals used to pay for qualified higher education expenses are free from federal and Nebraska state income tax. Qualified higher education expenses include tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for enrollment or attendance; certain room and board expenses incurred by students who are enrolled at least half-time; the purchase of computer or peripheral equipment, computer software, or Internet access and related services, if used primarily by the beneficiary during any of the years the beneficiary is enrolled at an eligible educational institution; certain expenses for special needs services needed by a special needs beneficiary; apprenticeship program expenses; and payment of principal or interest on any qualified education loan of the Beneficiary or a sibling of the Beneficiary (up to an aggregate lifetime limit of $10,000 per individual). However, earnings on all other types of withdrawals are generally subject to federal and Nebraska state income taxes, and an additional 10% federal tax.

Nebraska law does not treat the following Federal Qualified Higher Education Expenses as Nebraska Qualified Expenses: Qualified Postsecondary Credentialing Expenses before July 17, 2026, and K-12 Expenses. If a withdrawal is made for such purposes, although it is a Federal Qualified Withdrawal, it will be treated as a Nebraska Non-Qualified Withdrawal and may result in the recapture of a previously claimed Nebraska state income tax deduction, and the earnings portion will be subject to Nebraska state income tax. Please consult your tax professional about your particular situation.

Nebraska Legislative Bill 748 amends Nebraska law to expand the definition of Nebraska Qualified Expenses as follows:

• Effective July 17, 2026, withdrawals used to pay Qualified Postsecondary Credentialing Expenses are set to be treated as Nebraska Qualified Expenses; and
• Beginning January 1, 2029, withdrawals used to pay K–12 Expenses are set to be treated as Nebraska Qualified Expenses, subject to the federal annual limitation (currently $20,000 per Beneficiary per taxable year).

2 Account owners may deduct for Nebraska income tax purposes contributions they make to their own account (and any other accounts they own in the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust) up to an overall maximum of $10,000 ($5,000 if married, filing separately). Contributions in excess of $10,000 cannot be carried over to a future year. For a minor-owned or UGMA/UTMA 529 account, the minor is considered the account owner for Nebraska state income tax deduction purposes. The minor must file a Nebraska tax return for the year their contributions are made to be eligible for a tax deduction for their own contributions. In the case of a UGMA/UTMA 529 account, contributions by the parent/guardian listed as the Custodian on the UGMA/UTMA Plan account are also eligible for a Nebraska state tax deduction.